eTA Eligibility Expanded to Indonesia and Malaysia

Summary#

The final rule titled Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Electronic Travel Authorization) adds Indonesia and Malaysia to Canada’s list of countries whose citizens can sometimes use an electronic travel authorization (eTA) instead of a visa when flying to Canada. The change took effect on May 26, 2026 at 5:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time and applies only to eligible travellers who meet the conditions described below.

What it does#

• Adds Indonesia and Malaysia to the list of countries with a partial exemption from the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) requirement for air travel.
• Allows eligible citizens of those countries to apply for an eTA instead of a TRV when travelling to or through Canada by air.
• The eligibility conditions are:
  • the traveller has held a Canadian TRV within the last 10 years, or
  • the traveller holds a valid U.S. non‑immigrant visa (NIV) at the time of application.
• Travellers from these countries still need a TRV to enter Canada by land or sea.
• The rule is permanent (final regulation) and the government will monitor how it works.

Who's affected#

• Eligible citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia who meet the 10‑year TRV or U.S. NIV condition.
• People travelling by land or sea from those countries are not affected — they still need a TRV.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which will process eTAs and handle Border entry.
• Airlines, airports, and the tourism and hospitality industries, which may see more visitors and transit passengers.
• The change is focused on air travellers; it is unclear whether any other groups will notice effects beyond the groups above.

Why it matters#

• Faster and cheaper entry process: eTAs are processed faster than TRVs, making short visits and transits by air easier for eligible travellers.
• Small increases in visitors are expected: IRCC estimates a 9% increase in travel from Indonesia and a 5% increase from Malaysia, which would be about 4,300 additional visitors a year.
• Economic impact: visitors from these two countries are estimated to spend about $1,700 per trip, which could mean roughly $7.3 million more in tourism spending per year.
• Government costs: one‑time and ongoing costs to implement the change are estimated at $208,074 (one‑time) and $10,318 (annual) for IRCC, and $75,607 (one‑time) and $37,827 (annual) for CBSA.
• Trade and business ties: the change aims to support travel links that can help trade, investment and business travel between Canada and these Southeast Asian markets (Canada’s 2024 trade with Indonesia was about $6.7 billion, and with Malaysia about $5.2 billion).
• Risk and enforcement: because this is a partial exemption, Canada will have one less screening tool than with full visa requirements. Officials judged the risk to be low based on past trends, but they will monitor enforcement and asylum outcomes.